Hello cactus friends. Please help. Iāve had this cactus for years but only recently repotted it. Which may have been a mistake! I used specialist cactus potting compost and follow Plantaās care plan but it looks like itās rotting at the base. Do you think itās dead?
I think this is normal (but I could be wrong) my plant harry has this same rotting but he has been doing perfectly fine,
Oh yes so it does. Hello Harry. Maybe Iām worrying unnecessarily. Thanks.
1 gilla
Cactuses like to be dry. I use Plantaās care schedule as a suggestion. Often times, Plantaās schedule has me over-watering my succulents and under-watering other plants that like to stay damp. Always check the topsoil. If the top inch of soil is not bone dry (with cactuses and other succulents, specifically) when Planta says to water, snooze the notification and tell Planta itās still wet.
4 gillningar Thank you. Yes I will do that. I think I may have been overwatering a bit.
1 gilla
If it gets too bad, you can propagate the top part.
0 gillningar Thanks. I did wonder about that. As you can see, the top part is much healthier than the lower half - I think itās an indication of when I rescued it from a colleagueās desk! Iāll keep an eye on it and see if that looks like a good idea. Thank you.
1 gilla
I've also found that a lot of my cacti get sort of brown and callous-y at the bottom - so it might be that? If you're worried about mold, repot it in fresh cacti soil at least. I also find my cacti are MUCH happier in terracotta or unfinished ceramic pots. It's much easier to prevent over watering that way since any excess moisture can escape through the porous pot. I also try to make sure that the drainage holes aren't flush against whatever the pot sits on; if the pot has a drainage hole but the hole sits smack on top of a flat surface, it won't drain properly. I avoid using saucers for this reason, or pick a pot that's up on legs or has a rim around the bottom edge. Good luck!!
3 gillningar Those are really helpful tips. Thank you.
0 gillningarI donāt know whatās in the soil, but I think Iād add some perlite and turface to help loosen it up and drain better.
1 gilla Will do. Thanks.
0 gillningarYouāre welcome āŗļø
0 gillningar